Question of the Hour

[3rd Herd]

Excellent answer Nfld Sapper but how about your source? I came across this in Typhoon Pilot by Desmond Scott (p.74) in which he describes the attempts to negate this weapon system. The target was London and he quotes a muzzle velocity of 5,000 ft per second.

Next question

Who and where did Kissinger describe as the mad President ?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Yeah Yeah I know I forgot to add them originally.  ushup:

 

[geo]

(MAD - mutually assured destruction)

 

[time expired]

I read somewhere long long ago that the British left this site for the French to destroy however
the French refused to demolish the site and the British conducted a form of commando raid and
destroyed the site themselves. Has anyone else heard about this or is it just another urban
rumour?.
                                      Regards

 

[3rd Herd]

I read somewhere long long ago that the British left this site for the French to destroy however
the French refused to demolish the site and the British conducted a form of commando raid and
destroyed the site themselves. Has anyone else heard about this or is it just another urban
rumour?.
                                      Regards

Using Nfld's source info: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/v3.htm

"The site was damaged by Allied bombing before it could be put into operation and was finally occupied by the British at the end of August 1944."

or more fully:

French Resistance informed the Allies of the new effort almost immediately. Bombing raids to destroy the site began two months later. However the bunker proved impervious to Allied bombs, even 5400 kg Tallboy penetrator weapons. The weapons were nearing completion when, on 6 July 1944, three Tallboys happened to make it though the gun shaft openings. They penetrated 30 m to the first level of the complex and exploded, killing dozens of workers. Work on the complex stopped at this point.

The Allies were unaware of this success and searched for new methods to destroy Mimoyecques and other German bunker sites. Under Project Aphrodite (USAAF) and Operation Anvil (USN) radio-controlled, television-guided B-17 or PB4Y (B-24) bombers crammed with ten tonnes of explosives were to be flown by a crew near to the target. The pilot and co-pilot would then bail out while an accompanying aircraft guided the missile to a precision strike. This approach was abandoned in August 1944 after a total lack of success and several crew fatalities (including Joseph P Kennedy, Jr, elder brother of the future president).

By the end of August the Germans completely abandoned the complex in the face of the advancing British forces. Two short-length (45 m long) V-3's were built at Antwerp and Luxembourg in support of the Ardennes offensive in December 1944. These were found to be unreliable and only a few shots were fired without known effect. The British dynamited the Mimoyecques complex on 9 May 1945.

In Typhoon Pilot the author states that while proficient at hitting small targets the did not have the necessary heavy armament to destroy the site hence the above.

 

[3rd Herd]

(MAD - mutually assured destruction)

Sorry Geo,
I was thinking of President Nixon and the Paris Peace talks. The on and off again bombing campaign of North Viet Nam to get a "peace with honor" scenario accepted.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

BUMP
Can't let this die....come on history buffs.

 

[Spr.Earl]

The V-3 Hochdruckpumpe (aka HDP, 'Fleissiges Lieschen'; 'Tausend Fussler') was a supergun designed by Saar Roechling during World War II. The 140 m long cannon was capable of delivering a 140 kg shell over a 165 km range. Construction began of a bunker for the cannons in September 1943 at Mimoyecques, France. The site was damaged by Allied bombing before it could be put into operation and was finally occupied by the British at the end of August 1944. Two short-length (45 m long) V-3's were built at Antwerp and Luxembourg in support of the Ardennes offensive in December 1944. These were found to be unreliable and only a few shots were fired without known effect

REF: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/v3.htm

The first installation of five guns was to be built 165 km from London at Mimoyecques, near Calais, under Operation Wiese. The superguns were built at a fixed angle into a 30 m chalk hill, covered by a 5.2 m thick protective concrete dome. Each 140 m long cannon was capable of delivering a 150 mm / 140 kg shell on London

REF: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/v3.htm

And for the bonus, Gerald Bull and the HARP (High Altitude Research Program) Project or better known as the super gun.

REF: http://world.std.com/~jlr/doom/bull.htm



<edited to add references>

Which Canadian Unit's assaulted and took the gun's?

 

[3rd Herd]

Which Canadian Unit's assaulted and took the gun's?

1st choice- North Shores
2nd choice-QOR
3rd choice- 7th Recce Regiment

 

[geo]

Hmmm North Shores.  If memory serves me right, they lost a couple of their senior people during the taking.....  or was that the other german fortifications - The Citadelle (or something like that)

whups.... Nort shores took "batterie Todt" (with 6th Armd)
Bgen Rockingham took the white surrender flag from the Batterie & sent it back to the Mayor of Dover with his compliments.

 

[larry Strong]

Well this thread had laid dormant for quite some time, do here goes:

What must rank as one of the best and prolific machine-gun designs ever produced.

 

[Rhibwolf]

The MG42 is regarded by many experts as the best machine gun ever. The MG42, with minor modifications, is still the primary heavy machine gun of the modern German army, now called the MG3. A number of other armies around the world have adopted versions of the original, and guns looking similar, or identical, to the MG42 remain in widespread service today. The US Army's M-60 is based upon the MG42, as are many of the minimi variants used
As to prolific, after all these years, the Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun is still widely used by many militaries, and the MP5 is a specialist's first choice for close in work.  I guess the answer to the question depends on your definition of prolific, and equally important, your parameter for MG (H, M, GP, Sub, etc). 

 

[larry Strong]

Thanks for that, I am looking for a heavy gun, one thats more prolific than the MG42/MG3. Still in use, millions built.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

The M2 Browning .50?

 

[larry Strong]

That would be correct. First out in 1921 still in production in the US and Belgium. Should be around for decades to come with no replacement in sight.
Your turn.

 

[larry Strong]

That would be correct. First out in 1921, still in production in the US and Belgium (FN). Should be around for decades to come with no replacement in sight.
Your turn.

not sure what happen here.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

The MG42 is regarded by many experts as the best machine gun ever. The MG42, with minor modifications, is still the primary heavy machine gun of the modern German army, now called the MG3. A number of other armies around the world have adopted versions of the original, and guns looking similar, or identical, to the MG42 remain in widespread service today. The US Army's M-60 is based upon the MG42, as are many of the minimi variants used
As to prolific, after all these years, the Browning .50 Caliber Machine Gun is still widely used by many militaries, and the MP5 is a specialist's first choice for close in work.  I guess the answer to the question depends on your definition of prolific, and equally important, your parameter for MG (H, M, GP, Sub, etc). 

He answered it here first.

 

[stukirkpatrick]

Whoops, totally missed that  :-[

 

[larry Strong]

Dang me too, Totally sorry about that Rhibwolf....that's what happens if you don't read the whole answer. Mea culpa

 

[3rd Herd]

What was "Operation Killer" and what is its relevance to ongoing operations in Afghanistan. Bonus, who coined the name "Operation Killer".